By Sola Ogundipe

Fourteen years ago, a tragic road accident left Taiwo  Kazeem, a hardworking house painter and loving father of two, with severe trauma.

Taiwo was rushed to a nearby health facility, but the impact from the accident left him with a fractured pelvic bone that led to a urethral stricture-a condition that severely hinders his ability to urinate naturally.

Since then, the 40-year-old  has been living with a catheter and urinal bag, unable to urinate normally, work consistently, or sleep peacefully.

For Taiwo, every passing day is a battle against pain, discomfort, and the lingering injury that has shaped since the tragic road accident.

In his modest home in Aiyetoro, Ijanikin, Lagos, he lamented his plight.

“I’ve had one surgery already,  but I’ve been living with a catheter and urine bag ever since.”

The reality of his condition is agonizing, painful, and a stressful ordeal that invades every aspect of his daily life.”  Taiwo lives with the psychological strain of always having to explain his condition to strangers, friends, and even his two young children.

“My children ask why I can’t play freely with them, they don’t understand what happened to their father.”

Taiwo now urgently needs N1,200,000 to undergo a second corrective surgery at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan. This procedure will finally give him the chance to live pain-free and return to work with dignity.

An abdominopelvic ultrasound scan conducted at Mecure Laboratories revealed that Talwo has indicated bladder outlet obstruction secondary to urethral stricture, along with a thickened bladder wall.

The attending physician, Dr. Omogbohun Patrick, who reviewed his case, recommended further evaluation through a combination of procedures, including retrograde urethroscopy and antegrade cystoscopy, or a voiding and retrograde cystourethrogram.

Taiwo’s hope now rests on a second corrective surgery, which doctors at the UCH say will restore his normal urinary function and give him back a life of dignity and comfort.

But the cost, estimated at N1,200,000, is  out of reach for the humble craftsman.

“I’ve tried my best, but painting jobs have been few. And my medical condition has kept me from working full-time. I’m appealing to kind-hearted Nigerians, well-wishers, and anyone who can support to please come to my aid.

“This surgery means freedom for me. It means I can work again, sleep better,  be a better husband and father, and a dignified human being. It will help me to just become whole again,” Taiwo appealed.

If you are touched by Taiwo’s plight and you are motivated to assist him to regain his health and rebuild his life, kindly send your contributions to Wasiu Taiwo Kazeem, Wema Bank Account No.  0278917400 (savings). Taiwo can be reached on 08144967921.